


Terror Makes Me Horny

by Marzi



Series: Battle Lines [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, M/M, crackfic treated seriously, idiots attempting to communicate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26549662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marzi/pseuds/Marzi
Summary: Mal didn't sound like he had been roused from his slumber and was delighted to find his lover had snuck through the jungle (walked the few feet between their campsites) in order to surprise him. In fact, it didn't sound like he was surprised at all.
Relationships: Archiban "Doc" Kimble/Malavai Quinn, Female Jedi Knight | Hero of Tython/Female Sith Warrior
Series: Battle Lines [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1930690
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was like all, I'mma write some more silly fic, treat myself, and then my brain laughed at me.

In retrospect, sneaking into Mal's tent probably should have been more difficult. Doc wasn't about to look a gift nerf in the mouth though, was he? He'd caught a look at some of the other people Mal was traveling (working? Assigned?) with, the twi'lek who had interrupted them among the lot, and decided full introductions could wait until later. Besides, Doc knew from experience waking up people in the middle of the night to let them know he was about to have sex and they weren't didn't go over well.

“Scoot over.”

“This is my tent.”

Mal didn't sound like he had been roused from his slumber and was delighted to find his lover had snuck through the jungle (walked the few feet between their campsites) in order to surprise him. In fact, it didn't sound like he was surprised at all. “How long have you been awake?” Sleeping on Yavin IV was honestly a bag of mixed results, but it more or less sounded like Mal had just been laying in the dark fully conscious staring at the ceiling of his tent.

“Since you decided to step on every branch on the way over here.”

“I am not that loud. And make room, or I will lay on top of you in a way that leaves you unsatisfied.”

He finally made room for him, which was somewhat impressive given the size of Imperial issue field tents. Doc's plans for the evening were already unfurling. Not that he had much of a plan beyond 'go see Mal, probably- no, definitely fuck'. They were storming the temple tomorrow. Whatever Revan, or the person claiming to be Revan (Luce seemed sure, but she was the one who had met the guy before, not Doc) was up to was finally hitting its finish. It was time for their little alliance of convenience to come to its head and do what it got together to do, stop him from whatever weird shit he was trying to pull. Storming the Emperor's private sanctum had been scary as fuck, but so was this.

The ground wasn't all that comfortable, but when compared to the dent resistant supply crates they had used the other day, Doc was going to say their choices of venue were definitely showing a pattern of improvement. At least for war time liaisons. Mal's barracks on Balmorra had, after all, been both private and in possession of a stocked bar and bed. Since when had Doc become the kind of guy where amenities like that weren't the norm? Oh right, after the whole saving the galaxy tour he had asked Luce if he could keep serving on her ship. Why had he done that again?

“What are you doing?”

“Uh, taking off my pants.”

“Why?”

Doc blinked in the dark, it was hard to make out Mal's face and read his expression. “I didn't think I would have to explain this to you after the other day.”

“That's why you're over here.” He didn't sound amused.

Doc shrugged. “Terror makes me horny.”

“I can't say I feel the same way about the situation.”

Well alright, his plans were unraveling a little bit, but Mal hadn't told him to get out so there was still some hope. “You aren't totally freaked out about what is going on here?”

“That's not- would you-” His hands came up and pulled Doc from his half-crouched position until he was finally laying next to him.

He hadn't managed to get his pants open let alone off, so there wasn't any awkward shuffling once he was down in order to get things settled. He couldn't remember the last time he cuddled with anyone. Not that he was cuddling now, more like laying on his side, propped up and staring at Mal's profile, hoping his pout was endearing enough and would melt his reticence to get naked.

“Yes, things are tense.”

Doc opened his mouth, close to making a comment about the cousin of whiskey dick, but stopped himself. Ever since getting over thirty, he had become a bit more conscientious of such talk. It reminded him Mal already had ten years on him. Not that he thought health concerns were really a problem for either of them. It was just a show of thoughtfulness he was sure most partners in the past wouldn't have expected of him. Not that if he mentioned it he would get the kind of credit he wanted. Because in bringing up the fact he hadn't said anything, he would be bringing up what he thought about and-

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Uhm-”

He sighed. “Kimble. Go back to your tent and go to sleep.”

Shit. Shit shit shit. “What if I wake up someone on my way back? I am very noisy. That big guy might take my head off before I can explain the situation.”

That got him silence. He hoped it was for the potentially dying part, and not the having to explain himself to someone else part, that was making Mal reconsider. Since learning about Luce and the Sith the idea of having to keep things hush hush had become a secondary concern. If those two could somehow manage, then he was certain he and Mal would be alright.

Because people in power totally never got off scot free while their subordinates were killed for the same behavior.

Killed? He was spending too much time around Imperials.

“Fine. But you're sleeping.”

Doc smiled and dropped off his elbow to lay on his back. His hands folded together on his chest and he twiddled his thumbs together. Aside from when he had stopped him from taking off his pants, Mal hadn't touched him at all. It was definitely impressive given the space they occupied, but not what Doc wanted. He scooted over until their shoulders bumped. He heard Mal suck in a breath, probably on the verge of reprimanding him, when he suddenly blurted out, “You really aren't scared?”

“...I never said that.”

Oh. “Well, just so that we're clear on things.”

“There are a lot of unknown variables concerning tomorrow's engagement.”

“Yeah well, that's just part of the fun.”

“Fun?”

“Scary fun, but fun.”

“You're having fun?”

“Well I was planning on a different sort of fun, but you vetoed that.”

Another sigh.

Always one to push boundaries, Doc rolled over, burying his face against Mal's neck and draping one arm over him. It took a bit longer than he would have liked to feel the weight of a tentative hand curling around him in turn, but it would do. Falling asleep was easier than he had been expecting. Whether it was the simple fact of having someone living, or just familiar, next to him, he didn't want to examine too closely. After all, he still hadn't sussed out why it was so easy to come back to Mal after all these years, and if they all died tomorrow he didn't want to have wasted anytime thinking about it because it wouldn't matter. It would have been nice to have gotten another blowjob before he bit it, though. He supposed he was of an age where he could settle for a decent night's rest in place of an orgasm. Look at him, getting all refined in his middle age.

Doc woke up slow, and smiling, though that faded when he realized he was alone. Had his venture over to the Imperial camp been a dream? But no, when he opened his eyes he definitely wasn't in the tent he had set up in Luce's camp. The smell of his bedding was of someone other than him, and Doc knew for a fact he didn't tuck himself into the sleeping bag conscious or unconscious.

Mal couldn't resist tucking his corners even when someone was still in bed, it seemed. He wiggled in his gentle cocoon, slowly bringing the rest of himself awake. He suddenly froze when people began speaking outside the tent.

A voice Doc didn't recognize, polite, and peculiarly Republic in accent. “There was some concerns in the camp this morning.”

“What kind of concerns?” Mal, sounding far too alert, though Doc didn't know what kind of head start he had on him in the wakefulness department.

“One of the Republic's people disappeared last night.”

Oops. Maybe Doc should have left a note? Nah. Luce was smart, she would figure it out. Or her Sith would have told her.

“Signs of a struggle?” Mal, all business all the time. He didn't even sound slightly suspicious, Doc wasn't sure if he would ever know if that man was lying to him if he put some effort into it. Wasn't there a time when they had?

“No.”

“If the Republic cannot keep track of its own people, we can only offer assistance if they ask.”

“I know, but if it was one of us-”

“If there were previous cases of disappearances I would share your concerns, but I imagine there is a simple answer. Such as desertion.”

Ouch. Rude. Doc slowly stretched out in the tent, staying silent.

“Right.” She didn't sound entirely convinced.

“What's with the long face?” That voice Doc did recognize. The twi'lek.

“I was just sharing the news of the disappearance with the Captain.”

“Yeah. Weird _pub_ stuff. Know anything about _pubs_ Quinn?”

“Shall I recount their affects on Imperial history from the beginning, or just cover the last war?” Dry as ever.

Silence, then someone (likely the twi'lek) began to pop her lips together, except it sounded like 'pub' each time she did it. It was honestly a little impressive. Doc smirked, finally standing up and running a hand through his hair. Did he go for sleep disheveled, or sexy disheveled? Mal had let him stay the night, even if it had been chaste, but it wasn't like anyone outside the tent would ever believe anything other than something sexy having happened. Did he rub that idea in their faces? In the end, Doc went for 'handsomely rumpled' and walked out of Mal's tent as if he had every right to be doing so.

The small sounds of people shuffling around the camp immediately ceased. The large armed man with the sergeant's stripes that Doc had intimated might kill him in the night was holding a rifle, but he didn't immediately bring it bear. That was good. A young woman in robes gaped at him, which wasn't very Sith like, and the twi'lek's face scrunched up, before she was the one to finally break the silence by making a strained choking noise.

Mal was sitting on a log, holding a cup of what had to be caf. Doc beamed at all their shocked faces and beelined for him. “Morning gorgeous, some of that for me?”

“No.”

“What?”

He gave him a flat look.

What, Mal had expected him to sneak out without comment? Besides, the twi'lek woman sounded like she was one _pub_ lip pop away from giving it all away. Doc shrugged. “I overslept.” He reached for the cup anyway and it took only a mild amount of effort to get it released to him. It wasn't great, probably why Mal had given up the cup at all. Not far off through the trees, he spotted Kira in his own camp and waved at her. He was pretty sure she glowered at him. He draped himself over Mal's shoulders and handed his caf back to him. “So, everyone ready to bring down some Revanites today?”

The twi'lek made another strangled noise, though it somewhat resembled the phrase 'what the fuck', while the young woman had closed her mouth and was now studying him with a strange intensity.

The sergeant finished his work on his rifle and sneered at them. “Shoulda known you were so pathetic only a pub would fuck you.”

Honestly, not the worst reception Doc had ever gotten. He didn't like letting attempted insults slide though. “Oh, is someone jealous?”

Mal made a horrific choking noise mid caf sip.

The sergeant got to his feet and Doc wondered how badly his day was about to get fucked when the man slung his rifle over his shoulder. “I'll go do a perimeter sweep. Make sure no more rats have gotten through.”

That just left him and Mal across from the two women. Behind them, Doc could see into Luce's camp. Which meant Mal could see into the camp, which meant both of them were currently watching a blonde Sith very shakily attempt to sneak her way out. Was that why he had choked earlier? Not because of the sergeant?

Doc pressed his lips against Mal's ear. “Is the reason you aren't telling me to leave right now because you're using me as a distraction?”

He turned his head so that he was facing him, being so close it gave Doc a somewhat cross eyed view of his stupidly perfect cheekbones and bright eyes. Then Mal kissed him. The pain in Doc's chest was clearly heartburn from the awful caf and not crushing disappointment at being used. Hah. He was fine with this. If Luce wanted to keep her little secret he was totally an awesome friend and perfectly capable of helping her with that.

Mal tasted like really bad caf but that didn't stop Doc from deepening their kiss and sucking on his lip before pulling back. The flustered look on his face eased the pain in his chest somewhat.

“Please don't do that again. I may vomit.”

It took Doc a moment to muster up his usual smile as he looked over at the twi'lek. “Couldn't get enough of the show from before, huh?”

“The what?” The young woman next to her squeaked.

“Trust me Jaesa, you do not want to know.”

Doc stood up straight and stretched his arms above his head, affecting a large yawn. He saw Mal's shoulders relax as the noise covered up the soft sounds of the Sith's approach to the camp. He would have thought a little murder machine would be a bit stealthier, but he supposed it was in his favor that she wasn't. If all Sith were truly capable, he wouldn't be alive today. Luce wouldn't be alive. Maybe he should ask her how this whole thing started at some point.

He reached down and pat Mal on the shoulder. “Well I gotta go, time to be a hero and-” The feel of Mal's fingers reaching up to twine through his own stopped him short. Alright. That was... good. Good. Of course he couldn't resist. Doc was fine. This was good. “See you tonight then?” He flashed a quick grin and beat a hasty retreat before he could read anymore into the situation.

Kira was waiting for him at the edge of the camp.

“Hey, good morning star shine-”

  
“What. Are. You. Doing?”

“Uh, saying good morning?”

“You know what I meant.”

“Do I though?” She hadn't exactly been appreciative of his intelligence in the past.

“Doc.” Luce broke through the growing tension. “A word?” Her smile was soft, though not nearly as bright as it typically was.

She seemed as neat and put together as always, which was to say there was a sort of soft, sleepy effortlessness to her appearance which made it hard to tell if she had just woken up and looked perfect or somehow artfully tossed her appearance every morning. Doc really couldn't tell if she had gotten luckier than him last night, but since she had apparently been sneaking off for a while he was going to have to reevaluate what he knew about how she looked. The innocent Jedi thing was really hard to see through.

“Sure Luce, which word would you like? You know they're all yours if you just ask.” She might have shut down his flirting early on, but it never really stopped him from talking.

Kira crossed her arms, but seemed content with whatever reprimand she imagined he was about to receive for being in an Imperial camp. At least, Doc was pretty sure he wasn't going to get a reprimand. Not after who he had seen sneaking off just a minute ago.

Luce leaned in close once they were alone, smile somewhat pained. “Don't be reckless.”

Alright. That wasn't what he had been expecting. He opened his mouth, ready to say reckless was his second middle name, when some of that damned friendly concern crept up on him. “Are we?” Him and Mal, her and that Sith, him and her, he wasn't sure who he was referring to. Probably all of them.

Luce laughed, soft, quiet, and a little shaky. “I hope not.”

“Our risks tend to pay off, the bolder the better. I think we'll be alright.” Someone had to believe everything would work out okay, and it might as well be him.

She squeezed his arm, smile becoming less strained. “You're right. And I'll talk to Kira, I don't want her to think... I don't want to hide this.”

“You did.” Honestly, Doc was still pretty impressed by that.

Luce's cheeks tuned pink. “It was a bit of a whirlwind.”

“Oh?” Doc grinned. “You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine.” His and Mal's story was probably tame by comparison.

Luce put a hand to her face, as if to shield her blushes from his gaze. “Uh. Later. After everything.”

“I'm holding you to that. No dying to get out of it.”

“No dying.” The familiar authority of her giving an order in the face of impossible odds didn't make the joke land quite right, but it did make him feel better.


	2. Chapter 2

Victory didn't feel quite as good as Doc had hoped it would. Whatever that light show at the end had been, everyone was still concerned. He'd caught a glimpse of Mal when the fireworks (sadly completely metaphorical) had all died down, and that made going to help with the triage and remaining wounded a bit easier.

Everyone was eager to pull up and get off this moon, but armies didn't move quickly. Plus, Luce had already volunteered to be part of the force to stay behind to make sure things went smoothly now that Revan was no longer their main concern. Doc wondered if her offer seemed as transparent as he now saw it to be. How did she and her Sith meet when opportunities for cease fire were rare? Had they? Would they again? Was that quick glimpse of Mal, breathing if a little bruised, the last he would have? Shouldn't he be okay with that?

There was a war on, that was a familiar phrase in Republic space, but out here, it didn't feel like it. Well, it felt like a fight, but he wasn't sure against what anymore.

With the last of his patients packed and on transport off planet, Doc was ready for bed, but he found himself beelining for the imperial encampment rather than his own. The sergeant wasn't around, that made it easy to decide to take a seat. The twi'lek seemed resigned to his presence, and the young woman- Jay? Jen? Jaesa!- just seemed intrigued. It was honestly a bit better than what Kira or Rusk offered him some nights.

“So, Blue-”

  
“What?”

He wasn't sure if she was surprised that he was bothering to talk, or that he was talking to her. “Uh, Blue-”

  
“Yeah, _White?_ ”

Or maybe she was taking issue with something else. “Um-”

“If 'tails' is about to come out of your mouth-”

“Uhm, yeah okay... So, sweetheart, what's your name?” Doc could salvage this. He could fix anything. No one stayed mad at him long. People rarely got mad at him! People rarely got mad at him in a way that he had to deal with, if he was being honest.

“Vette, _sweetheart._ ”

“Vette. What are things like working with Mal?”

She stared at him in genuine shock for a moment. “Seriously?”

“What else would I ask you about? He's what we have in common.” And he wasn't back in camp yet. Had there been more wounded on the Imperial side than he realized? Had he been wounded, and Doc just hadn't seen?

“Ugh, never say that again. I have no type of 'in common' with Quinn.”

“Except Wynne.” Jaesa smiled. “And the rest of us.”

“Yeah, but he made it sound all-- all gross.”

Wow. Apparently Mal's ability to make friends hadn't improved. Well, Doc was here now. “Hey now, I'm not gross.” Neither was Mal, but baby steps in the beginning foundations of the bridge of friendship. That was a saying, right?

Vette gave him a look that implied she thought he was something, and gross didn't begin to cover it. Jaesa was much more willing to keep the conversation alive, though. “Well, I'm Jaesa, and I'm sorry, we didn't get your name.”

Wow. Very polite for a Sith. Her eyes weren't yellow either, and if he hadn't seen her that morning, Doc would have honestly wondered if a padawan hadn't wandered over into the camp by mistake and just hadn't figured out how to leave yet. Not that it was a bad camp, or that Doc even wanted to leave himself. Huh. Maybe he needed to spend a bit more time thinking about things. “Everyone calls me Doc, and you're more than welcome to do the same, gorgeous.”

“Quinn doesn't call you that.” Vette said.

“Yeah well, Mal's stubborn.”

“That's one word for it.”

Jaesa laughed into her hand, and Doc took it as a sign that both of them were warming up to him. “So ladies, you never did answer my question. How's Mal? Been a while since I've seen him.”

Vette began to look suspicious. “Like, a while a while? Because you were here last night. Apparently.” That thought clearly warred with the suspicion across her face until she looked like someone in need of a muscle relaxant to get the facial ticks to stop.

“You've known him since before this conflict.” Jaesa sounded very sure of herself.

It was true, but it was odd to hear it. “Oh well, we met back on Balmorra, he was-”

“Wait, wait, wait- you two were together on _Balmorra?”_ Vette actually leaned forward.

Doc smiled. “I take it you've been there.”

“Yeah. It's where we met Quinn, while he was threatening to kill some poor kid.”

Doc gasped. “Not Jillins?”

“Uh. Maybe?”

“Poor Jillins. He couldn't even tie his shoelaces right.”

Vette was staring at him strangely. Her disbelief was giving was to something else. “I don't get it.” She said at last.

“What's that?”

  
“He gets on my case for talking too much and yet you never shut up. I would say its a species thing, but I figured he hated the Republic as much as he hated aliens.”

“Mal doesn't hate me,” Doc snapped, annoyed that people kept jumping to that conclusion.

Vette opened her mouth, but Jaesa's hand on her arm stopped her. Doc was thankful for the moment's reprieve. He just needed to see him one more time, double check that he was okay, then he'd go to his tent and just move on. Like before. This was fine. He was fine. They were fine. They weren't a thing.

Were they a thing again?

Jaesa was whispering something to Vette, and Doc struggled to pull his thoughts back to the present. He hadn't planned on thinking things through last night because he could have been dead in the morning, and now here he was, still struggling to deal with it. The alive part was nice though.

Vette was frowning, but pulled her expression closer to neutral before speaking again. “So like, when did things stop on Balmorra?”

“After lurid details, huh?” Doc forced a smile, trying to get some of his internal equilibrium back. _Were they a thing again?_

“Ergh. No. Don't make me sick. It's just... maybe I can see Quinn as a functioning sapient if some of his assholery on Balmorra was a result of him breaking up with his boyfriend.”

Having someone who had been around Mal after the two of them had stopped seeing each other would grant an interesting perspective. There was a slight bit of missing context though. “Uh yeah, well, it was less 'break up' and more 'got turned in as a spy for the resistance and ordered for interrogation'.”

“You're shitting me.” Vette didn't seem too surprised, the statement more flat than shocked.

Doc was trying to help Mal make friends, so he figured he had to defend him from his own actions. “I mean, he just submitted my name, didn't turn me in himself. You know Mal, he's a particular guy. I figured since he decided to hand off the duty of my arrest to someone else...”

“..that he meant for you to escape. Yeah, Wynne went through something similar after he tried to kill her. 'If he really wanted me dead he wouldn't have used droids, he would have poisoned a kolto probe'.”

_She has forgiven much worse from me._ Way to make an understatement, Mal. “Sounds right. He can be.. complicated.”

“You mean a complete fucking moron.”

“Sounds pretty sapient to me,” Doc quipped.

Vette just gave him a look like she couldn't believe how dumb _Doc_ was. “I guess.”

He had very readily jumped back into the proverbial sack (and literal if he counted the sleeping bag) with a man who had ordered his interrogation at Imperial hands, which generally resulted in death, if you were lucky. But that had been ages ago, and Mal had seemed just as nostalgic if not more so than Doc. Doc didn't like to think the word 'pathetic' in relation to himself or his partners, but it huddled on the periphery of his thoughts, waiting to be tripped over.

“What are you doing?”

The three of them turned quickly towards the source of the voice. Doc grinned, a little too quickly and with more relief than he felt was warranted, as Mal entered the camp. The Sith was at his side, the arrogant amusement he'd seen in the medical tent back on her face. It was a bit more difficult to think of her as potentially scary after seeing her nearly fail to sneak out of her lover's tent that morning. Vette and and Jaesa quickly shared a look.

A little smile picked up in the corner of Jaesa's mouth. “Us and Doc were just having a little chat.”

“Were you.” Mal's eyes narrowed.

“Getting all the gossip.” Doc added.

Mal sighed. “I'm sure it was very informative.”

Vette's focus flickered between the two of them, clearly still trying to figure out how they worked. If she got the answer, Doc would have liked to hear it.

“Captain.” The Sith put a hand on his arm, drawing his gaze for a moment. If Doc had define the look she gave him, he would classify it as the exact opposite of the look Luce had given him when she'd said ' _don't be reckless._ ' Apparently the boss wasn't so concerned about things now. Was that a good thing, or a bad thing?

“My lord.” Mal inclined his head softly, apparently accepting whatever message was under the look she had sent him.

The Sith dropped her hand, smirk sliding back into place. “Who else is sick of sleeping on the ground? Pierce is already back at the ship.”

Vette jumped up to her feet. “I can't say I've become anymore fond of bugs than I was when you dragged me around on Dromund Kaas. Or, come to think of it, any of the other swamps you dragged me through. We've been through way too many swamps.”

“We are currently in a jungle environment.” Mal corrected her.

“Whatever. Still gross.”

“We aren't going anywhere tonight, but I want the ship prepped for an early take off tomorrow.” The Sith spoke around their bickering as if it was commonplace. “Go reclaim your bunk.”

“Aye, aye your sithiness. Jaesa?”

“Right behind you.” The young woman gave Doc a knowing look as she followed Vette out of the camp. It seemed entirely too pointed for someone who had known him for so short a time. It also reminded him of Luce, which he wasn't sure how to take in that moment.

“I trust you can handle things here, Captain.”

“Certainly, my lord.”

“I'll be making sure the Republic isn't trying to send spy droids on to any of our ships. Holo first if you need me.” She winked at Doc before making a very pointed march off into the jungle in the direction of Luce's camp.

So Sith got just as horny surviving against near impossible odds as Republic soldiers did. It was a pleasant sort of familiarity, though Doc's amusement was dampened by Mal's uneasy expression. Once alone, neither of them moved to get any closer together. Well, Doc wasn't about to be the first to break. Mal frowned at the silence, hands behind his back as he seemed to instinctively fall into parade rest as the awkwardness persisted.

Doc could walk out into a camp of potentially hostile Imperials and be totally at ease, but suddenly left alone with this man and he had no idea what he was supposed to be doing.

“Kimble...”

  
“Really? That's what you're going with?” Surely he had earned something a little better after all this time? Not an exclamation of affection, he wouldn't ask for the impossible (they were already both alive) but something other than that tentativeness would have been nice. An 'I looked for you' maybe, or a 'I'm glad to see you're okay'.

He sighed. “You aren't the only doctor here.”

And somehow Mal thought what he was calling him was the problem. Doc could make it a problem, fine. He refrained from asking if Mal considered himself enough of a medic to add to that number. There were other bones to pick. “So if we're the only two people left on this moon, you'd finally call me Doc?”

Mal looked almost physically pained as he looked back at him. “Froderick.”

Doc crossed his arms. “Wow. You remembered my middle name.”

“You've said frequently in the past that you don't enjoy your first.”

Doc opened his mouth and then closed it. He tilted his head back and took a deep breath before looking Mal in the eye. “Okay, that right there- that- you need to sound less like an asshole when you're being considerate.”

Mal's expression of discomfort slid easily into a glower. “I'll keep that in mind.”

Doc pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, I- it's been a long day.”

“I... understand.”

At least he didn't sound annoyed anymore. Doc shook away all the buzzing thoughts in his head that would be sure to lead to some sort of new argument. “Didn't get much of a chance to see that you were alright, after everything.” You could lead a rancor to water but you couldn't make it drink. Generally because it would be too busy trying to kill you, but still. Maybe Mal would pick up on what Doc needed to hear from him a bit better this time.

“You looked for me?”

That hurt worse than the bad caf that morning. “Right. Guess that doesn't make much sense.”

“No, that's not what I-”

“Why should I have bothered since you didn't-”-

“-would you _stop?_ ”

Doc tightened his arms across his chest and clicked his teeth together.

Mal closed his eyes for a moment, apparently pulling himself back together. His outburst had hardly been momentous, but it was more than he usually gave. “I didn't see you after the fight concluded, I'm just surprised that you managed to find me and I didn't notice. I suppose I was more distracted than I realized.”

“Oh.” Doc's arms loosened from their tight hold on himself. “This is like the other day where I thought you were being a jackass and you were paying me a compliment.” Well, basically being told he was the only pleasant person in Mal's life was about as close to a compliment as he was going to get. Mal seemed to have a few more decent people around these days, though.

“I've noticed the similarities in the situations, yes.”

Doc scratched the back of his head. “Can I just go back to the part where I tell you how glad I am that you're alive?”

“Very well.”

“And?” If you jumped into the river and the rancor came after you, did that count?

“I feel the same.”

Doc's smile flickered back into place, and he couldn't resist one more jab. “Well, I'm glad that we can both agree that you being alive is a good thing.”

Mal just stared at him, but the flat edge of his mouth seemed to be straining against the impulse to smile. Ha! A rancor in the river definitely counted as it drinking after being led there.

Doc stepped forward and put his hands on Mal's shoulders. “That wasn't so hard, was it?”

Mal's feigned stoicism broke and very nearly rolled his eyes. “I wasn't aware I was making it difficult.”

Well, he sure as shit wasn't making it _easy,_ though Doc could privately admit he wasn't being much help either. He still wasn't planning on stopping and trying to think this through anytime soon, after all. He leaned forward to brush a soft kiss across Mal's lips. He could feel his shoulders move under his hands as he reached forward to hold him by the waist. It was nice, and honestly if he had just done this last night, he might have actually left the tent when he first asked him too. He wouldn't have wanted to, for a completely different reason than the one he gave, but he would have done it.

Mal didn't hate him. It was sort of terrifying to think about.

“You know,” Doc's cheek scrapped against Mal's day's worth of stubble as he whispered in his ear. “There's some other hard things we should talk about.”

Mal's fingers tightened on his hips. “Kimble....”

“Hush, just let ol' Doc take care of you.”

Well, that nearly almost completely worked. No matter how much more interested Mal was in getting naked this time, he still clearly wasn't horny enough to fuck in the open. Get a little debauched yes, but it didn't matter that night had fallen properly and most sensible people had already gotten off this stars forsaken moon. They ended up in the tiny tent that already smelled a little like both of them, and if Doc's mouth and hands and voice demanded more from Mal than they had in a long while, who could blame him?

He was absolutely terrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pff. Feelings. Who has time to deal with those?


End file.
